


Chess Rivals

by ultraviolethaz



Series: Flufftober 2019 [17]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Chess, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, M/M, Sort Of, not really enemies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-17
Updated: 2019-10-17
Packaged: 2020-12-21 08:13:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,098
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21071723
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ultraviolethaz/pseuds/ultraviolethaz
Summary: The one where the stress of being pair together causes Alec to finally snap





	Chess Rivals

**Author's Note:**

> Hello!
> 
> 2 fics in one day because i was sick? yeah. Let me know what you think!
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> p.s I'm sorry for any spelling or grammar errors, I haven't got time to read this through

Magnus Bane, the 2010 chess champion- for his high school at least. Chess has been a huge part of his life, ever since he was a boy and his dad sat him down and taught him how to play the game properly. He’s been obsessed for years, winning competitions, even competing gave him the same thrill, winning did. Magnus was completely in love with this game and nothing was going to change that. The only issue he had with the game and the competitions was Alexander Lightwood. Rivals since well forever. They had been in the same schools since kindergarten, and when Magnus joined their middle school chess team, so did Alec. Magnus’ friends made jokes that it was because Alec was secretly in love with him but Magnus knew better. He just wanted to win. Win what, Magnus wasn’t sure, there weren’t any competitions between them, they are on the same team for god sake.

Chess meetings were so boring, Magnus had to admit that he hated them. The teacher who ran the meetings had the most annoying voice Magnus has ever heard in his life. Sitting next to Alec, Magnus was not happy, the boy kept fidgeting and it was annoying him more than the teacher’s voice. Hitting his knee against the other boy’s, Alec just looked up to see what the problem was and when Magnus didn’t say anything, he continued twirling his pencil between his fingers. 

“Would you stop?” Magnus hissed, banging their knees again, Alec just did it back. It turned into a contest- like everything they ever did.

“Magnus Alec stop that right now!” The teacher shouted from the front of the class, making everyone turn to see what the pair of them were up to. Making them both sink in their seats before the teacher spoke again “You two can pair up, for your childish behaviour” Oh yeah, they had to be paired up for the week before the competition, to practice. Magnus always paired with Ragnor but apparently now that wasn’t happening this time around. 

“This is all your fault” Magnus whispered as the teacher continued to talk about the competition and what it meant for the school if they won. 

Tuesday after school detention, another run in with Alec and a loud shouting match in a classroom, trying to work together on their strategies. Magnus was leaning down over a textbook and taking notes. He’d had enough. He was going to talk to the teacher about being paired with Alec. They weren’t getting anything done and with the competition at the end of the week, Magnus couldn’t put himself- or Alec for that matter- through so much stress. The door to the classroom creaked open and Alec stuck his head in, the teacher ushered him in and they spoke in hushed voices before Alec approached Magnus’ desk- well shit. 

“You can come with me”   
“And why would I want to do that?”

“I got you out of detention just come on” Alec started leaving so Magnus gathered his things between his arms and followed, thanking the teacher for taking her time to sit in there with the detention students. He left the classroom to find Alec down the hall entering another class. 

“What are we doing?” Magnus asked, confused about how he had just gotten out of sitting in the silent room for two hours

“Playing” Alec pointed at the folded up chess board “I could get us out if we did this instead” Magnus nodded, had Alec done it for himself or the team or the both of them- who cared because it meant Magnus got to sit here with Alec playing rather than trying to make notes on science in complete silence.

The game went on for a while, Magnus was winning right now and he wasn’t smug about it- not at all.

“You need to move your pawn”

“No I don’t”

“I’m about to checkmate you in the next turn, you need to move it”

“I’m pretty sure you’re not supposed to tell your opponent what you’re going to do”

_ “I’m pretty sure you’re not supposed to tell your opponent what you’re going to do”  _ Alec mimicking what Magnus said in a high pitched voice, “I know that, but we’re supposed to be helping each other” Voice returning to normal but he didn’t look up from where Magnus’ hand was hovering over the board, deciding which piece to pick up. 

“What’s your problem?” Magnus asked, hand slapping down on the table

“What’s  _ my  _ problem? What’s yours?”   
“I don’t have a problem”

“You know what fuck this” Hands flying upwards, sending the board and all the pieces with it, Alec was up and out of his seat, backpack in hand heading for the door. 

“Where are you going?”   
“Away from you” His back was facing Magnus, but Magnus thought he saw Alec wipe his eyes, was he crying? Magnus immediately felt bad, he didn’t make people cry. Bullies make people cry and Magnus was certain he wasn’t one. 

“Alec wait”   
“No, you’re always so mean to me, actually mean is an understatement, you’re horrible. All the time and I just” Wiping his eyes, Magnus could hear the whimpering in his voice “I can’t do this”

“No no Alec, please. Look I’m sorry, I didn't realise how much it was affecting you” Magnus reached out but Alec flinched away, so he tried again, grabbing the other boy’s elbows to keep him in place “I didn’t mean it, you were the same back, I just, please forgive me”

“I forgive you, I’m sorry I was mean too”

“It’s okay”

“You know the only reason I joined the chess club was because of you” Alec admitted, Magnus felt the boy release a deep breath from under his hands, his shoulders relaxed down and a chuckle slipped passed his lips. 

“Me?”

“Yeah, I maybe sort of, okay I liked you a lot and I wanted to get to know you. I didn’t even know how to play chess at the beginning”

“Liked me huh?” Magnus tilted his head in question a smirk plastered on his face like he knew all along, when really he had no idea. 

“Still do, kinda”   
“Well shall we start with being friends?”

“Sounds good” They both nodded in agreement, before laughing about how stupid their rivalry had been. Cleaning up the room from where the board and pieces had flown everywhere. Before running off to the milkshake shack across the street for an actual meaningful conversation. On the road to becoming best friends and maybe more. 

**Author's Note:**

> Twitter @cobaltbane


End file.
